Thanks to media hype,
over 50 million people in North America are regular aspirin users
and this figure is rising rapidly. Aside from its widely recognized use as an
analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent, aspirin has become increasingly popular
with the medical profession for a growing list of other maladies. The American
Heart Association recommends aspirin for the prevention and treatment of heart
disease and stroke, while the American College of Chest Physicians recommends
it for any of the risk factors for coronary artery disease including obesity,
diabetes, elevated LDL-cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking and a family
history of heart disease. Some scientists would even argue for using aspirin
as a weight loss remedy used in conjunction with caffeine and ephedra to
“burn fat.” False hope for either the prevention or treatment of cancer,
arthritis, tension headaches and seemingly every human discomfort is
offered by proponents of daily aspirin use.

The current aspirin fad is fueled by the conclusions of some spectacular
studies. For example, peripheral vascular disease (blockages of arteries in
the arms or legs) has been shown to respond to aspirin therapy in one study
with an 85% reduction in the need for surgery. Studies also show that aspirin
prevents new heart attacks in heart attack survivors while angina sufferers
have fewer heart attacks and increased survival. Aspirin use has been shown to
dramatically decrease the need for coronary bypass surgery as well as
angioplasty. The prestigious New England Journal of Medicine even published an
American Cancer Society sponsored study which concluded that those who took
aspirin 16 or more times each month were 40% less likely to die from colon
cancer than those who took no aspirin at all. Listen to enough doctors and you
will soon walk away believing that the great majority of the human race
suffers from an aspirin deficiency.

Is there a down side to this
success story? The answer lies in the many well-documented — but poorly
reported — side effects of the drug, both short and long term.

ASPIRIN SIDE EFFECTS • Bleeding
Gastrointestinal Irritation (heartburn, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,
inflammatory bowel disease) • Increased gastric permeability and altered
immunity • Gastrointestinal hemorrhage (ulcers): A Searle news release noted
that GI complications caused by NSAIDs remain one of the most prevalent drug
toxicities in the nation — leading to approximately 76,000 hospitalizations
and 7,600 deaths annually — a mortality rate comparable to that of asthma,
cervical cancer, or melanoma (skin cancer). • Hemorrhagic stroke: heavy
doses of 325-milligram adult aspirin (for example 15 or more tablets a week),
can double the risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Older women with high blood
pressure, taking large doses of aspirin, can triple their risk of hemorrhagic
stroke; in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation, the benefit of
prophylactic aspirin to prevent strokes is unproven. • Aspirin can prolong
pregnancy and childbirth and lead to bleeding in both baby and mother. •
Susceptible regular aspirin or acetaminophen users are two to three times more
likely to have the beginning stages of chronic kidney failure, compared with
individuals who did not use these painkillers on a regular basis. About 15% of
the people on dialysis today are there as a result of the damage that Tylenol
and/or aspirin did to their kidneys. • Both aspirin and acetaminophen may
also be associated with diverticular disease of the colon. • Asthma •
People who are taking aspirin in combination with the blood-pressure-lowering
ACE inhibitor drugs after angioplasty may be at risk for a dangerous drug
interaction and a three-fold increase in risk of death. • Prolonged aspirin
use may raise risks for cataracts; the long-term (more than 10 years) use of
aspirin is associated with a 44% higher increase of posterior subcapsular
cataracts, compared with nonusers or short-term users of the drug. Posterior
subcapsular cataracts are the most common and most disabling form of cataract.
This aspirin-related risk is larger among younger (under 65 years of age)
individuals compared with older subjects. (Ophthalmology 1998; 105:1751-1758).
• Chronic rhinitis and nasal polyps: aspirin sensitivity sinusitis may cause
long-term facial pain, headaches and a loss of smell. • Hives (urticaria)
• Hyperactivity • Reye’s Syndrome in children; aspirin is the leading
cause of poisoning in young children. • Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) •
Hearing loss • Vertigo • Mental confusion • Drowsiness • Excessive
sweating and thirst • Inhibition of cartilage repair and accelerated
cartilage destruction

HOW DOES ASPIRIN WORK?
Aspirin prevents blood clotting factors called platelets from sticking to each
other. It does so by blocking a platelet enzyme called cyclooxygenase.
Aspirin, by inhibiting cyclooxygenase, can decrease the production of lipid
peroxides (free radicals) and thromboxane, a powerful vasoconstrictor. This
enzyme inhibition lasts for the lifetime of the platelet, which is
approximately 10 days. Aspirin suppresses the activity of pro-inflammatory
chemicals in the body known as the PGE2 family of prostaglandins. It thus
indirectly increases the activity of anti-inflammatory prostaglandins of the
PGE1 family.

There are some researchers and clinicians who have been able to demonstrate a
direct link between the presence of fungi in the body and cardiovascular
disease of all kinds. This is known as the “fungal mycotoxin etiology of
atherosclerosis” and has been promoted by Dr. Costantini and other
researchers working for the World Health Organization. According to these
doctors, aspirin is an antifungal drug which can go a long way towards
offsetting the negative effects of fungi and their mycotoxins. They believe
that it is this antifungal property of aspirin which prevents heart disease,
stroke and cancer — diseases all suspected to have a fungal mycotoxin
etiology. Dandruff, a scalp condition caused by fungi, often responds well to
shampoos containing aspirin or salicylate derivatives.

NATURAL ASPIRIN
ALTERNATIVES

If one continues to eat a lot of
sugar, refined foods, saturated fat (e.g. red meat, fried foods, dairy
products, etc.), does not exercise, smokes cigarettes and drinks alcohol to
excess, neither aspirin nor any of the following alternatives can be
guaranteed to do much good.

1) GLA (gamma linolenic acid) found in plants like borage, black currant seed
and evening primrose has been shown to increase the activity of the PGE1
family, producing an anti-inflammatory effect similar to aspirin. Flax seed
(edible linseed oil) does not contain GLA, but is rich in linoleic acid, which
can be converted to GLA in the body to produce these same anti-inflammatory
effects. GLA has been documented to lower serum cholesterol, reverse some
cases of obesity, clear eczema, lower blood pressure, control allergies,
improve autoimmune disease and prevent arthritis.

2) Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) in high doses retards blood clotting. Caution
should be exercised if one is using both aspirin and vitamin E (or blood
thinners like coumadin with vitamin E) because the combinations have a
synergistic effect. Studies indicate that supplementation of as little as 200
IU daily in men can reduce the risk of a heart attack by 46%; in women the
risk reduction is 26%. Whether natural source or synthetic source, all forms
supply the body with at least some vitamin E activity. The natural forms of
vitamin E are d-alpha-tocopherol, d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, d-alpha-tocopheryl
succinate and mixed tocopherols. The synthetic forms are dl-alpha-tocopherol,
dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate or dl-alpha-tocopheryl succinate.

Studies indicate that the most biologically active are the esterified natural
forms — d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate and d-alpha-tocopheryl succinate. Both
have been found to provide full antioxidant activity in the body and are the
ones recommended by the top authorities on vitamin E at the Shute Institute
and Medical Clinic in London, Ontario.

Recent studies indicate that high levels of stored iron in the body (ferritin)
are associated with a greater risk of heart disease and diabetes. High dose
vitamin E supplements can interfere with iron absorption. If you have been
prescribed iron to correct iron deficiency, take your iron supplement about 12
hours apart from vitamin E. Iron absorption is enhanced by sufficient acid in
the stomach. Iron destroys vitamin E in the body.

3) Garlic is probably the best known herb that lowers cholesterol (by up to
10%) and triglycerides (by up to 13%) while raising “good” HDL-cholesterol
(by up to 31%). Garlic prevents thrombus formation and lowers blood pressure.
It prevents platelet stickiness and has natural anti-bacterial, anti-fungal
and anti-parasitic properties. Onions also have these effects but are not as
profound as garlic.

4) Magnesium has anticoagulant properties which, when combined with vitamin E,
can produce significant blood clotting reduction. In practice it is always
wise to balance magnesium intake with both calcium and potassium.

6) Policosanol, an extract made from the wax of sugar cane can lower LDL
cholesterol while increasing good HDL cholesterol. Policosanol reduces
inflammation and inhibits abnormal platelet aggregation which promotes
arterial blood clotting.

7) Gingko biloba extract from the oldest surviving tree species on earth
(dating back over 300 million years) contains flavonoids and terpenoids, which
inhibit or prevent blood clot formation. Ginkgo also has potent antioxidant
properties and may benefit numerous circulatory problems including those
associated with impotence.

8) Bromelain is a proteolytic enzyme (helps digest protein) which is not only
anti-inflammatory in its effects, but prevents excessive coagulation of the
blood by clearing undigested fibrin and other harmful proteins in the
bloodstream.

Many of these nutrients are sold
in combination form at health food stores. It may, therefore, not be necessary
to take large numbers of capsules or tablets. A naturopath or medical doctor
familiar with these remedies can recommend specific dosages. The world’s
leading medical journals are increasingly reporting that diet and lifestyle
changes by themselves can reverse hardening of the arteries and its
complications.

Despite all the rave reports about
aspirin, there are too many worrisome drawbacks as well: natural aspirin
alternatives are hundreds of times safer. Discuss this issue with your health
care practitioner and use his or her experience and expertise to guide you
with an individualized health program.

For people who use various forms of aspirin,
such as BC Powder, Bayer brand, Excedrin, and Advil, they are risking their
health for short term pain relief. Yes, you may obtain the illusion of pain
relief, but do you know how the various aspirins work against pain? ANSWER: By
deadening your nerves! Long term aspirin use is sure to corrode your nerves
and entire nervous system leading to certain central nervous system
pathologies such as Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease, and even
stroke.

Aspirin
breaks down or converts into ascetic acid inside the body and eats up red
blood cells, just like white distilled vinegar does. Therefore, aspirin use
pollutes the blood which is the essence of life. In addition to polluting and
eating up the blood, aspirin greatly thins the blood. Many people take aspirin
daily as a blood thinner. These people's arteries are so clogged, rather than
cleansing the arteries in order to improve or enhance blood flow, doctors
unwisely prescribe aspirin to thin the blood which is very dangerous because
lack of blood equals lack of oxygen flow, and lack of oxygen flow to the brain
will undoubtedly result in stroke. The herb gingko biloba is a much better and
safer medicinal and alternative to aspirin as it is a mild blood thinner, but
unlike aspirin, it greatly enhances oxygen flow throughout the body.

Aspirin
use also causes intestinal and stomach ulcers. Aspirin burns a hole through
the lining of the intestines and the stomach causing internal wounds (ulcers)
and bleeding. Drinking cabbage juice is the best remedy for this problem. Aloe
vera juice will also help to heal ulcers.

Females who take Midol drug for
menstrual-related pain and cramps would do much better to take the herbs
feverfew, cramp bark, and black haw. A liquid calcium supplement will greatly
reduce menstrual-related pain. Calcium is natureís nervine and tranquilizer.
Serious suffers of headaches, especially migraines, would do well to use the
herbs aspirin was originally made from. Aspirin was originally made from herbs
rich in the alkaloid salicin which converts into salicyclic acid inside the
body, which has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body and thereby
neutralizes pain.

The
herbs feverfew, peppermint, and wood betony should or can be added to the
herbs above to create a natural pain relieving tea that can be drunk
throughout the day and as much as you like in order to naturally eradicate a
headache. Please know that a headache is an acid condition and alkaline
substances can heal/cure and prevent headaches. Herbs are alkaline substances.

Lastly,
long-term aspirin use will greatly pollute and eventually degenerate the
liver, a very important cleansing agent and organ. People with red eyes have
very toxic livers. Liver toxicity manifests in the white of the eyes. The
herbs milk thistle seed, dandelion, boldo, goldenseal, tumeric, Oregon grape,
artichoke, blue flag, gentian root, and barberry will heal, repair, and
cleanse the liver. Carbon (activated charcoal) will also greatly help to
cleanse the liver.

More
important than relieving pain, a person should attempt to discover the root
cause of pain, for prevention is better than remedy. Pain is just a sensor
that lets you know that something is wrong in or with the body. Pain is a
question that seeks an answer.

In
2004, Dr. Cleland published the results of a new study (Warfarin/Aspirin
Study in Heart Failure, or WASH) in the American Heart Journal in
which he investigated antithrombotic strategies in 279 patients with heart
failure. He found that the patients who received aspirin treatment actually
showed the worst cardiac outcomes, especially worsening heart failure. Dr.
Cleland concluded there was "no evidence that aspirin is effective or
safe in patients with heart failure."

Then
in 2010, another study
looked into whether or not patients taking aspirin before an acute coronary
syndrome (ACS) were at higher risk of recurrent problems or mortality. ACS is
a term used for any condition brought on by sudden, reduced blood flow to the
heart, such as a heart attack or unstable angina. The study found that
patients who were taking aspirin showed a higher risk for recurrent heart
attack and associated heart problems.

Thus
far, aspirin's performance is quite unimpressive. But what about aspirin's
benefits specifically for women? As it turns out, aspirin fares no better with
women.

In
2005, Harvard conducted a study
to investigate whether or not low-dose aspirin offered cardiovascular benefits
for women. They followed nearly 40,000 healthy women for a full 10 years.
Again, the results did not show any heart benefit from aspirin therapy;
researchers concluded aspirin did NOT lower the risk of heart attack or death
from cardiovascular causes among women.

Aspirin
Never Proven Safe or Effective for Diabetics

Cardiovascular
disease is a serious concern if you have diabetes, and a number of studies
have set out to determine whether aspirin can offer a degree of protection.
Three studies have shown the benefits to be either inconclusive, or
nonexistent.

1.In 2009, a study in the British Medical Journal
found no clear evidence that aspirin is effective in preventing cardiovascular
events in people with diabetes. Results differed between men and women, but
overall, they found no clear benefit and called for more studies on aspirin's
toxicity.

2.Also in 2009, a Swedish study
examined the effects of aspirin therapy in diabetic patients. Researchers
found no clear benefit that aspirin is beneficial for diabetics but did note
that it can increase the risk for serious bleeding in some of them. They
stated that the current guidelines for aspirin therapy should be revised until
further study is done.

3.In 2010, a meta-analysis
in the U.K. examined six trials consisting of 7374 diabetic patients,
comparing the relative cardiac risks for aspirin users and non-users. They
concluded, as did the other researchers, that aspirin did not reduce heart
attack risk for diabetic individuals.

It's
pretty clear that aspirin isn't all that it's cracked up to be when it comes
to preventing you from having a heart attack. But is it doing any harm? Well,
as it turns out, the answer is yes—in a number of possible ways.

Aspirin
Increases Your Risk of Hemorrhage, GI Damage, and Several Other Problems

Routine
use of aspirin has been associated with the following problems:

In
fact, there are studies listed on Greenmedinfo
showing aspirin's connection with 51 different diseases! The most well
established side effect of aspirin is bleeding, which results from aspirin's
interference with your platelets—the blood cells that allow your blood to
clot. According to one scientific articlei,
long-term low-dose aspirin therapy may DOUBLE your risk for gastrointestinal
bleeding.

You
can certainly understand how a bleed is possible, given what is known about
the effects aspirin has on your GI tract.

For
example, a study
done earlier this year investigated the effects of low-dose aspirin on the
gastrointestinal tracts of healthy volunteers. After only two weeks, the group
receiving aspirin showed "small bowel injuries" capable of
interfering with blood flow (diagnosed upon endoscopic examination). And a
2009 Australian study
showed that aspirin causes gastroduodenal damage even at the low doses used
for cardiovascular protection (80mg).

The
damage to your duodenum—the highest part of your intestine into which your
stomach contents pass—can result in duodenal ulcers, which are prone to
bleeding. A Japanese study
found a higher incidence of bleeding at the ulcer cites of patients with
duodenal ulcers taking low-dose aspirin therapy, versus those not taking LDA.
More than 10 percent of patients taking low-dose aspirin develop peptic
ulcers.

The
risk
of bleeding is particularly pronounced in the elderly, which is very
concerning as the elderly are often put on aspirin prophylactically to protect
against cardiovascular disease. With all of these adverse effects, why risk it
when there are safer and more effective alternatives?

There's more - here's the opinion of Shane
Ellison, from the People's Chemist

Thousands of years ago, humans witnessed injured bears (not the Chicago Bears)
gnawing on the bark of white willow trees. Some dude – probably an earlier
rendition of The People’s Chemist – assumed that it was done to relieve
pain.

After a long night of drinking away his frustrations with people who talk
more than they think, he decided to test his theory. Hungover, the young
chemist made a tea from the bark. It tasted like shit. But, almost instantly,
his discomfort melted away.

Despite his gluttonous indulgence, the crushing pressure on his head was
released. It was like cheating and winning. White willow bark became the
official pain reliever not only for bears, but also for many other party-goers
astute enough to follow his lead…

Well, thank God he started taking tips from chemists. Drugs are more fun
than food and far more interesting. Eventually, the doctor put the real
medicine to use, and it worked – drugs like white willow bark are much more
reliable than an apple when you need relief. It’s rumored that
Hippocrates later said, "Chemists are awesome tutors and fun to party
with."

As time past, Big Pharma got excited about the pain killer. This laid the
groundwork for the eventual isolation and synthesis of a molecule known as
salicylic acid – one of many ingredients found in white willow bark.

To their distress, the industry couldn’t market the natural ingredient as
their own. (You can’t patent Mother Nature, yet.) In order to have a
monopoly, they had to alter it a bit. Chemist Carl R. Gerhardt was the first
to do so in 1853.

Bayer Steals From Mother Nature

Starting with the parent compound, Gerhardt performed a series of
laboratory reactions. This yielded a molecular cousin. The newly devised
willow bark-fake was named ASA (acetyl-salicylic acid). It marked one of the
earliest and most profitable thefts from Mother Nature. Bayer trademarked it
as "Aspirin" in 1889. Some say the name was derived from St.
Aspirinius, a Neapolitan bishop who was the patron saint against headaches.

As aspirin popularity grew, the inherent risks surfaced. (So much for being
a saint…) The small molecular change made for big dangers.

Internal bleeding is one of the biggest risks. Studies show that aspirin
users die sooner compared to those not taking it.

ototoxic-drugs-audicus-hearing-aids

Body Count Increasing Among Aspirin Users

Each year, a grossly underestimated 7600 deaths and 76,000 hospitalizations
occur in the United States from use of aspirin and other NSAIDS like Motrin,
Aleve, and Celebrex. But, the FDA states that only about 10% of deaths caused
by NSAIDS are reported.

Doctors aren’t willing to acknowledge aspirin as the deadly culprit.
Death by the drug is usually attributed to the victim being either too damn
sick or too damn old. Therefore, the body count is much higher than we are
told.

In 1986, Dr. Otis R. Bowen, the Secretary of Health and Human Services,
issued a warning reminding parents that children and teen-agers with flu
symptoms "should not be given aspirin." Using it for the flu or
Chicken Pox, aspirin puts users at risk for Reyes Syndrome, a disorder that
causes organs to shut down, and large amounts of bloody, watery liquid to
accumulate in the lungs.

In 2009, historian and researcher Dr. Karen Starko showed that mortality
rates were increased during the 1918 flu epidemic due to aspirin use! At the
time, massive amounts of the drug were purchased by the military and given to
soldiers. The "always pharmaceutically compliant" Journal of the
American Medical Association (JAMA) suggested a dose of 1,000 milligrams every
three hours. That’s the equivalent of almost 25 standard 325-milligram
aspirin tablets in 24 hours – twice the daily dosage generally considered
safe today! Minus the overdose, it’s predicted that death rates wouldn’t
have been so tragically high.

Identifying Aspirin Actions Gets Nobel Prize

It was pharmacologist John Vane who discovered the good and bad actions of
aspirin. On one hand, he found that it blocks the production of an enzyme
known as COX (cycloxygenase). Downstream, this prevents inflammation,
swelling, pain and fever. But, he elucidated a risky trade off.

Aspirin also stifles the formation of healing compounds. Crucial for
physiological support, they protect the stomach from damage by hydrochloric
acid, maintain kidney function and stop internal bleeding. Vane won the Nobel
Prize for his work.

Expanding their market reach, they pushed "baby" aspirin to
protect against heart attack and stroke. But, the "little bit" is
still harmful. Writing for The New York Times, Dr. Neena S. Abraham said,
"If your physician has suggested you take aspirin to reduce your risk of
heart disease, it is important to remember that even small doses of daily
aspirin — including "baby aspirin," at a dose of 81 milligrams
daily — can increase your risk of ulcers and bleeding."

…buffered or enteric-coated aspirin won’t protect you.

Judith P. Kelly of the Slone Epidemiology Unit at the Boston University
School of Medicine warned that "all forms of aspirin carry risk."
Protective covering or not, it still paralyzes the production of
physiologically-important compounds in our body.